Sunday, 25 December 2011

Make sure to read about the true meaning of Krismas for many of us on The Meming of Life with Dale McGowan.

Krismas, as defined by Jacob Walker:

Krismas is a secular holiday that celebrates the myth of Kris Kringle, commonly known as Santa Claus. It happens on December 25th of each year, and is also closely associated with Krismas Eve, which occurs December 24th… Krismas is about giving gifts, especially those “from the heart”; it is about the magic of childhood; it is about peace on earth; and it is about goodwill towards humankind, and anything else you wish it to mean that does not involve the Jesus as a savior bit.

Friday, 16 December 2011

This is what getting older is, isn't it? I mean at my stage in life. Losing heroes.

I feel like I just got to this party. I've been blogging about art, science and atheism for almost 5 years, and seriously reading about atheism another 5 before that. I just got here, and one of the most interesting guests had to go.

Feeling selfish this morning. I want to take the day, eschew my professional responsibilities and do a proper portrait of the man to make up for dawdle of a sketch I did when I heard the news in the middle of the night.

This is a terrible, awful sketch of Christopher Hitchens, who died today and deserves better than my scratching at 2a.m. after two nights of no sleep from our teething baby. I'm posting it anyway. Fuck it.

Hitchens wrote with his verve and sharpness when he shouldn't have had any energy left. I can post a sketch done out of dealing with my feelings at the loss of one of atheism's great champions and an author I enjoyed. This drawing was about the process upon immediately reading the news on Twitter. Done in ArtRage Studio Pro.

I think I got the eyes right. Hold your hand up and cover the lower half of the image. Unyielding, strong, you can hide behind those eyes like shields of reason.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

I'm proud to announce that for the first time, ScienceOnline will be having a science-art show! We'll be showing a digital slideshow of accepted images, curated by myself with help from Karyn Traphagen. Free for anyone to enter, we'll be picking the most fascinating images in scientific illustration, fine art, photography, cartoons, data-visualization, street art and more.

After the unconference, we'll be posting the final digital gallery online in some form. This is the first time we're attempting something like this, so we may ask for help or encounter some snags along the way. With so many talented science-artists attending #scio12 this year, we've got to forge ahead and gives this a try. When applying to the show, you can give us links to three images. Not all may be chosen, but what better way to get you images in front of eyeballs than up to 450 talented science communicators in one place?

Feel free to email with any questions at symbiartic.gm@gmail.com or via Twitter @flyingtrilobite.

Monday, 12 December 2011

A little sketch done at the Royal Ontario Museum while visiting with the SONSI crew. Tree Pangolin and an unidentified beetle for a warm-up.

The pattern of the overlapping plates and the unusual, almost neck-less body was challenging. Pangolins have really cool tails. I'm surprised they're not the basis for more science fiction creatures or robots.

Saturday, 10 December 2011

RedBubble, who produces my prints, cards, shirts, stickers, calendars and iPhone cases has also expanded the line. Now, you can get cases for iPhone 4, 4S, 3GS and iPod Touch 4GS and 3GS. Each is available either in a single piece clip-on Deflector style, or 2-piece slide-on Capsule style case.Click here for Darwin Took Steps

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

My thanks to Christian & Sheilagh, Sherry and Charles, Joe and Patricia, and Shereen and Lex for their contributions to my Movember campaign on the Crusty and Dusty team. Thanks for helping me support men's health by messing with my face.

And now what you wanted to know you didn't know you didn't want: some photos of me hamming it up for Movember.

Week 1:

Week 2:

You're not looking at my moustache. You're looking at the baby.

Week 4:

Ah, Instagram. Coupla more years, and this is gonna be like lens flare
and we'll all think these faux-retro photos look stupid. My moustache is however, magnificent.